AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami.
Credit: PTI Photo
Chennai: Fresh from its spectacular victory in Bihar, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Tamil Nadu led by the AIADMK has moved to expand the alliance for the 2026 Assembly polls by reaching out to DMDK and PMK, which is beset with internal trouble.
Despite the BJP and AIADMK reviving their ties in April 2025, no party has so far joined the NDA even as small players like T T V Dhinakaran’s AMMK and O Panneerselvam left the fold. With just a few months left for the elections, AIADMK, as the leader of the alliance, has begun touching base with parties that have been part of the NDA in the past.
On Monday, AIADMK leader R B Udhayakumar met DMDK chief Premalatha, wife of late actor Vijayakanth, in Madurai, while PMK MLA from Mettur, P Sadasivam, met AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami in Salem on Monday. The same day, Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC) chief G K Vasan, a constituent of the NDA, also met Palaniswami and discussed the political situation in the state.
“We have taken the first step towards expanding the NDA. We don’t have much time as we plan to finalise the alliance and conclude seat-sharing by February. DMDK and PMK were part of the NDA in the past and we have formally reached out to them,” a senior AIADMK leader told DH.
DMDK contested the 2024 Lok Sabha in an alliance with the AIADMK, but their relationship strained in 2025 after the latter overlooked the former for a Rajya Sabha seat. As far as the PMK is concerned, the party is interested in an alliance with the AIADMK, but the issue is the open war between the party’s founder S Ramadoss and his son Anbumani.
It is believed that Anbumani sent Sadasivam to meet Palaniswami to ensure that the AIADMK talks to him on alliance matters and not to his father. Sources in the AIADMK said the party views the PMK as “one unit” and wants to engage with Ramadoss in matters of alliance as it was in the past without overlooking Anbumani, in an act of balance.
“We have just contacted the parties and have launched the talks. For us to talk about seat negotiations, it will take time. But we want to build a rainbow alliance,” the AIADMK leader added.
Despite Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) closing the alliance doors, a section within the NDA is still hopeful that actor-politician Vijay will join hands with them to defeat “common enemy”, the DMK.
“A clear picture on the alliance will emerge only by the end of January. Though Vijay has said he will contest alone, we will wait for him till January. Otherwise, we will go to the election with parties that trust us,” another senior leader of the NDA said.